Getting a Second Chance
by Caroline Gottschalk Jackson
Summary: Skittery was supposed to die in 1899 after the strike. He was supposed to jump off a bridge because of who he loved. What happens when 2 kids who'se job is to change the past for a better tomorrow come and step into play? Promises to be good!
1. start

            Cameron looked down at her watch that wasn't really a watch. It was more of a really small text messenger hidden behind a digital watch face. Cameron's boss had given it to her two years ago when she had first started work, but that will come later. At the moment Cameron was stuck in Biology and to make things worse it was raining outside. 

            Cameron was half asleep when her "watch" beeped. She looked down at it and smiled. Looked like she was leaving class early, well five minutes early but still…that was five minutes she didn't have to listen to the technical process of sex. Cameron sat up in her desk a bit straighter and put on her "oh I'm really listening" face. Then the voice from the overcom boomed from the speaker. 

            "Mr. Jones," The voice said with little expression.

            "Yes?" Mr. J said, pausing from his lecture his marker in mid mark. 

            "We need Cameron Davis; her uncle is here to pick her up."

            "Alright, go on Cameron. Come by sometime tomorrow and I'll give you all the notes you missed." Mr. J then went back to his teaching as Cameron slipped out of the classroom.

()()()()()()

            He ran. He was running away from what he was sure would be the biggest mistake of his life. He felt alone in the world and just wanted to get away from it all. The sun was beginning to set and twilight was setting in over the New York City landscape. He ran across the dirt street avoiding carriages and horses. He knew what he felt was wrong. He had almost told her he loved her but couldn't. He had run away from it and now, he was still running. He had decided to end it all.

()()()()()()

            Cameron had gone to her locker before she headed to the front office. She had left her journal in there and knew that she would need it sooner than she had hoped. Not that Cameron hated work. Far from it, she got paid better than most adults and the job was fun…but it was far from normal. 

            As she approached the front office a smile spread across Cameron's lips. There stood a man who looked to be about twenty-four. His raven hair was messy and his hands were shoved into the pockets of his baggy pants. When he caught sight of Cameron he grinned. 

            "Ready to go?" He asked. 

            "Sure thing," Cameron replied with a smile. This wasn't her uncle, no, far from it. This was Paul. Paul worked from Cameron's boss Mr. K. Paul was a computer nerd in a sense. He had actually created Cameron's "watch" and many other gadgets that Cameron had found quite useful. Like for instance her walkie-talkie that was a pen. That she found very useful. 

            "So what's Mr. K. got in store for me now?" Cameron asked as she led Paul to her car. It was an old Volkswagen Van, which was more commonly known as the Hippie Van. The outside of the car was a huge canvas of sorts. All different slots of colors populated the outside of the car and in some places you could catch the eye of a half hidden smiley-face. Paul scowled at the ancient van.

            "Why do you drive that stone-age thing? I mean you just got your license; didn't you save up for something better? Heck, even I could build a better car than this."  

            "Dude! I love my car…leave it alone," Cameron said as she glared at Paul. They piled into the car and began the well know drive to Cameron's "office" building. 

            After a ten minute car ride filled with Aerosmith and old TV show's theme songs Paul and Cameron arrived at their final destination. Cameron walked up to the old house and punched in her key code on a keypad hidden in the mail box. The door opened with a click and the voice of a computer said, "Welcome Cameron."

            "Hey Jane," Cameron greeted as she walked through the upper part of the house and made her way to the hidden staircase that led down to the basement. 

            When Cameron arrived in her work environment she headed over to her desk to check her messages. There was a bright orange post-it note on her desk that seemed to be yelling, "COME SEE ME NOW! ~ Mr. K" Cameron sighed. She'd been working for this man for two years and he already knew her better than most. Of course he did know what all the others didn't; he knew how she really made all her money.

            Cameron walked to Mr. K's office. She wasn't to too big of a hurry, she figured she'd be on a new job for Mr. K soon and was getting a little tired of the whole job she had. When she entered Mr. K's office he was seated in a huge leather chair behind his desk. He wore a bowler hat on top of his balding head and his face was full of wrinkles. He had a look about him that just screamed Grandfather. 

            "Hello Mr. K, what do we have today?" Cameron asked as she collapsed in a chair opposite of her employer. 

            "A new assignment I'm putting you and John on," Mr. K. replied as he looked over the papers on his desk. Cameron's jaw dropped. She hated John…ok so maybe hate was a strong word but it fit. John had the biggest ego in the world and thought he could do anything. The last mission they were on he had practically ruined the Egyptian Empire. Cameron had counted on Mr. K firing him on the spot but no such luck came about. 

            "Don't give me that look either," Mr. K said as he peered over his glasses. "You two are my finest employees and need to learn to work together. Anyway he's already been briefed on your mission and can fill you in after you get into your clothes and get your gear."

            Cameron sat there and protested against it all for about five minutes. The effort was futile however and she left well enough alone. Grumbling she went to her desk and ducked into the bathroom. When she came out she was clothed in a pair of pants torn off at the knee, a dirty stripped shirt that was more than baggy, old leather shoes and a cabby hat. Her "gear" was a pocket watch like her wrist watch, some old newspapers and a slingshot. Sighing Cameron made her way over to the door. The door had been set to September 12, 1899. 

            "Took you long enough," John said. Cameron glared at him. He was dressed much like she was but his costume came with suspenders, something Cameron was glad she was without. 

            "Let's just get this over with, that stupid door always makes me sick." She took a few steeps towards the door and reached for the knob. "I do suppose you'll tell me what we're going to do once we get there."

            John grinned at her as he stood beside her. "Maybe, if you don't get on my nerves." Cameron was about to argue when John opened the door and Cameron fell into darkness. 

()()()()()()

            Skittery was half way to the Brooklyn Bridge now. He couldn't believe what he had almost done. He had to jump off that bridge. He was so alone in the world. It felt like he had no friends left that would understand him and he knew what he had almost done was wrong. But deep down he knew if he didn't end his life soon he would tell her how he felt and go and press his lips against hers. 

            Skittery shook the vision of them kissing passionately out of his mind and began to run again. As he approached the bridge he wondered if anyone would care that he was gone, he wondered if she would care. 

**Note: OK this is gonna be good…I promise. I WILL finish it. But it helps me more when people review and I know my stuff is liked. So please hit that review button and tell me what you think. It means a lot to me. I hope you enjoy the story!  **


	2. the jump that didn't happen

**Note: Ok…two free periods in a row so yeah…gonna work on my story. Thanks to those who have reviewed so far. I really appreciate it! You get cookies! : ) OK on with the story!**

John leaned against a brick wall while Cameron finished being sick. John was two years older than Cameron and had been in the time-working business three years longer than his female partner. John remembered with a scowl how it had taken him awhile to get used to the jump through time. Cameron stumbled out from the alleyway whipping her mouth off. 

"Ready?" Cameron nodded weakly in reply. She then followed John through the streets of Manhattan. 

"You wanna tell me what's going on?" Cameron asked after they had been walking for a few minutes. They stepped over a drunken man who lay on the sidewalk and Cameron wrinkled her nose at the pungent smell of alcohol.

"We're here to stop this guy from jumping off a bridge. His name is Isaac Moore but more people know him as Skittery," John said as he looked over a girl who was standing on the corner. She wasn't dressed hardly at all and winked at John who couldn't help but smile. Cameron muttered under her breath and John just shot her a look.

"He's a newsboy," John continued. "Sells papers and all. He's about seventeen years old and ran away from an abusive father and a mother who was a crack head when he was ten. Now he's in love with this other guy's bride-to-be. The girl is nineteen, soon to be twenty. Her fiancé is ten years older than her and a good friend to Skittery. That's about all I know, or all I've been told at least."

"So what bridge and when?" Cameron inquired. 

"That one," John said as he pointed to a giant bridge that they were approaching. "And we've got just a few minutes."

Cameron glared at John. If he had just told her before hand what was going on they could be getting to the bridge on time. But no, now they had to run and might ruin the entire mission. Of course it wasn't like they couldn't just go back and start the mission all over again, but Cameron liked to get things done right the first time. So now, they were running. 

()()()()()()

Skittery stood on the Brooklyn Bridge looking over at the inky water churning beneath him. He had been standing there for a good time now thinking. As he got to the bridge he had doubted what he wanted to do, he had doubted jumping. But he came to the conclusion that it wasn't ever going to get better. Not in this life, not when she was never going to be his. 

Numbly Skittery climbed over the rail and stood with nothing between him and his watery grave. Taking a deep breath Skittery let go of the bar and felt himself begin to fall forward. Suddenly Skittery changed his mind. He didn't want to die. Even if it meant seeing her with him, he didn't want to stop breathing. He had only thought he had wanted it. His mind had played a trick on him, a nasty one at that. But there wasn't anything Skittery could do now. Then he was pulled back and felt a pair of hands on his arm pulling him back onto the bridge. That pair of hands was then joined by another, stronger pair and Skittery was back on the bridge again. In that split second just as he had let go they had caught him. 

Tears were in Skittery's eyes. He didn't know exactly why he was crying but he felt the tears stream down his face and sobs made his chest raise and fall quickly. He felt arms go around him in a comforting way and he cried into the solder of one of his saviors. They rubbed his back soothingly and whispered clam words into his ear. 

Soon the tears slowed and the crying stopped. Skittery pulled out of the heavenly hold and ran his hand over his eyes. There in front of him stood a girl and a boy. Both were clad in newsie garb and both gave him a small smile. The boy looked to be about the same age as Skittery and had dirty blond hair that fell into his eyes. The girl was shorter than her male companion and had long brown hair that reached well past her shoulders. They both seemed to be a bit to clean to be newsies but Skittery over looked that fact quickly.

"Who are you'se?" Skittery asked, his voice cracking a little from crying. 

"I'm Ca…" Cameron was silenced by John's hand as it covered her mouth and muffled her voice.

"I'se Jumper and she's Cricket," John replied. Cameron glared at John. He had conveniently forgotten to tell Cameron their code names for this mission. Sure, you weren't supposed to use your real name ever but Cameron had figured since John hadn't said anything they would this time. She pulled John's hand from her mouth.

"What da hell was dat for?" Cameron shouted. She had also picked up that they were to use a New York accent. Wasn't it nice of John to leave her in the dark like that?

"You'se talk too much," John said shrugging.

"Do not! I ain't hardly said nothin' said whole time! Dis would have been so much easier wid out you'se here!" Cameron hollered at John. This was just like him.

"What were you'se doin' on da bridge like dat?" John asked Skittery.

"I'se was…" Skittery trailed off. "Makin' a mistake."

"Yeah, no kiddin'," Cameron muttered. She then sent a huge smile over to Skittery. "No one should want ta die like dat. No one should want ta die at all." 

"You'se right…thanks for stoppin' me when you'se did," Skittery said with a smile. It felt good to smile. He hadn't done that in a long time. "If dere's anythin' I'se can do for you'se just ask." 

Cameron looked over at John and slowly said, "Well, we'se do need a place ta stay and a job…"

"You'se can stay at da lodgin' house where I'se live. Da rent ain't to bad an it comes wid a job." 

"What kind-a job?" Cameron asked as she and John began to follow Skittery back to Manhattan.

"Sellin' papes. It ain't hard. Me or one of da others can teach you'se how ta sell."

"Great," John and Cameron said at the same time. They then glared at each other and Cameron stuck out her tongue. Skittery couldn't help but smile at those two.

**Note: OK, so no the best chapter or the longest, but I think it came out well. Ummm next chapter we met the other newsies and find out who Skittery loves and who she's engaged too. I'll update soon and please r/r! **


	3. the plot thickens i guess

**Note: **Ok, I'd like to take this moment to thank Kaylee. She has reviewed like all the stuff I've put out since…I donno a few months. So thanks so much! I really like seeing you're reviews! I'll thank you better in an e-mail soon. So thanks! 

And Kora…ok…I really need to explain to you what's going on. Fist off to anyone else who may think this, Cameron and John are not brother and sister. I donno where that came from but yeah…they are not related at all. OK now, on with the fic! 

Oh yes! Thanks to everyone else who had reviewed! I'll do shout outs in the next chapter probably but I'm very happy with the reviews you took time to do! Thanks!

            Cameron was lying on her new bed. Well it wasn't really new, but it was new to her. John and her were bunkmates and had fought over the top bunk. The battle had been long (and quite humors to the other newsies who watched) but finally John had over powered Cameron in the end and claimed the top bunk for his own. Cameron was so glad that John wasn't related to her at all and the only time she had to see him was on assignment. At the moment Cameron was recording today's events in her notebook. John was playing poker with some of the other newsies and Skittery was writing something of his own. 

            Skittery was happy that Cricket and Jumper had fit in so well. He hadn't really been worried though. They were great. The trip to the lodging house had been hilarious. The two argued and tossed comments at each other so that by the time they had arrived to the lodging house Cameron wasn't speaking to John, who seemed quite happy with her decision. At the moment Skittery was writing a poem. He was writing it about her, about the one he loved. Skittery was so into his writing he didn't notice that someone had joined him until he felt his mattress sag under new weight. Looking up from his poem Skittery saw Cricket smiling at him.

            "So how's you'se doin'?" She asked him softly so the others wouldn't hear. Skittery shrugged and covered up what he'd been working on.

            "Ok, I'se guess…I'se donno. You'se ain't gonna tell da others are you?" Cameron shook her head.

            "Nope, but do you'se wanna talk about it? I'se mean it ain't everyday you'se stop somebody from killin' dem selves." Skittery sighed and looked over at Cameron critically. It would be nice to tell someone everything and she seemed alright. He was just worried she'd not understand or freak out or something. "Don't worry, I'se won't judge you'se," She said giving him a reassuring smile. 

            "Alright, but let's go somewheres else," Skittery said sighing as he jumped off his bunk. Cameron followed him off the bed and down to the lobby of the lodging house. A fire was crackling in the fireplace and two huge, moldy, over chairs were against one wall while an old couch was against the other. The room was empty and Skittery collapsed into a chair while Cameron sat down in the other one. They sat there for awhile till Skittery finally figured out what he was going to say.

            "I'se in love," He said bluntly. "But wid da wrong goil. She's great an' 'bout my age but she's engaged ta one of me older friends. I'se don't wanna ruin…they seem so happy together but it tears me up inside. I'se wanna be da one she's gonna marry."

            "Well how do you'se know she's really in love wid him? Maybe it's one of dose arranged things," Cameron said as she let the fire hypnotize her. The dancing flames and the crackling of the fire was about to lull her to sleep. Cameron shook her head a bit to wake herself up when Skittery started talking again.

            "Cause why would she loves me? I'se mean look at me. I'se a damn newsie, I'se ain't goin' nowhere good in me life, so why should I live it and why should I live it wid out her?"

            "Cause you'se better dan you'se give yourself credit for," Cameron said as she looked into Skittery's eyes. He looked troubled and looked like he wanted to jump off that bridge again. "And how do you'se know you'se ain't goin' places huh? You'se need ta look at the glass half full, not half empty."

            Skittery gave Cricket a puzzled look. What was with this whole glass empty thing? Skittery opened his mouth to ask Cricket what she meant exactly when the door to the lodging house opened and two people walked in. Skittery's heart skipped a beat. It was her, of course it was her and her fiancé, but it was still her. Cameron looked over at the couple who had just come in. The man was tall with brown hair and wore a brown suite with a funny looking bow tie. The woman looked to be much younger than her male counterpart. Her hair was light blonde and her blue eyes sparkled. Just one look at Skittery told Cameron this girl, or woman, was the one he loved more than life it's self. 

            "Skittery," The man said smiling. "How are things going? We just come by to see how everyone was doing." 

            "Things are fine," Skittery said with a shrug. "I want you'se ta met me new friend," Skittery said all of a sudden. He jumped up out of his chair and pulled Cameron to her feet. "Cricket, dis is Denton and his bride-to-be Elaine."

            "Nice, ta met you'se both," Cameron said shyly. She looked over at Skittery and shifted on her feet. For some reason she felt weird standing there. Usually on missions Cameron just stuck to the person she was supposed to help and not get involved in other things. But Skittery had other plans in mind. 

            "Cricket," Skittery said as he sat down in his chair again. "is a new newsie. She just came in taday," Skittery explained. He gave her a warm smile and Cameron sent him a confused glance. That wasn't a normal, friendly smile. That was I really like you smile. What the hell was going on here? Denton and Elaine sat down on the couch and Cameron began to scoot towards the stairs. She needed to talk to John. If Skittery was for real then she'd have to leave and let John finish the case. Rule number one was don't get involved personally. 

            "Well, I'se betta get on upstairs an' let you'se all talk and stuff. It was nice ta met you'se…" Cameron was almost to the stairs when Skittery stopped her. He was standing next to her and had grabbed her wrist.

            "Don't go yet, stay wid us and talk," He said, his voice clam and soothing. Cameron followed Skittery warily and took her seat once more as Skittery sat down in his own. While the others talked Cameron studied Skittery carefully, now either he was seriously falling for her or he was trying to make this Elaine girl jealous in some way.

()()()()()()

            John was having a blast with all the other guys. He had seen Cameron follow Skittery out of the bunkroom and figured she was working on the mission. Good for her, that meant less work for him later on. John wasn't to into the whole cupid thing and that appeared to be what they would have to do. But he'd worry about that later. Right now he had a royal flush and was ready to clean all these guys out of their money.

            "So Jumper, tell me bout Cricket," Racetrack said casually as he peered over his cards at John. John wrinkled his nose.

            "Why? And are you in or out Jack?" John asked. He knew Jack had been bluffing through most of the game but now that the stakes were high he wanted to see what this former strike leader would do. Jack scowled at his cards all he had was a pair of two and figured he'd better get out of the game before he didn't have any money left for tomorrow. 

            "I'se out," He said tossing his cards down.

            "Cause she's not too bad ta look at," Race replied. "Seems pretty sweet too."

            "Sweet?! HA! Not even! She's annoying, an' bossy, an' please, don't get me started," John muttered. Why would anyone think that monster of a girl was sweet? Ok, so she did have her moments but no…no, not sweet.

            "Besides, I'se think you'se too late Race," Kid Blink said from his possession on Cameron's bed. He had been sitting there since she left to get a good view of the game. He loved it when Race lost cards, that little Italian needed the ego deflated every once in a while. 

            "What do you'se mean?" Race said as both he and John tossed in another nickel.

            "Cause I'se think Skittery already beat you'se too her. You'se notice how long dey've been gone? Bout time he got some action though."

            "What do you'se mean action?" John asked as he peered over at Blink.

            "I'se mean…you'se know. _Action_," Blink put much emphasis on the last word and even had a few hand motions to go along with it. John tossed down his cards and sprang up from his seat. If that girl had ruined the whole mission he would make sure Mr. K fired her when they got back. But as John raced down the stairs he slowly began to realize that wasn't the only reason he was upset with what Blink had said, and this reason bugged him as much as Cameron did. 

**Note: **Ok so we have more of a plot! So is anyone confused? Don't worry all things will become clear soon! Hehehe…please r/r! I'll update more soon!                    


	4. chapter four

            Cameron looked up when she heard the thunder of feet on the stairs. At first she was scared the whole staircase would collapse, but figured with boys her age running around there was no need to worry. ON the other hand she should worry about John. John didn't look to happy as he looked from Cameron to Skittery and back at Cameron. Not even looking at the other people in the room John stormed over to where Cameron sat and yanked her to her feet. Cameron began to protest but John was giving her that 'shut-up' kind-a look and she stopped. John led her into the kitchen that was deserted.

            "What do you think you're doing?!" He shouted, his anger exploding. Cameron glared at John.

            "My job! Personally I wanna get home ASAP and it'd go faster if you helped some!" 

            "It's the first day! How much do you think we can get done in a few hours? And I am helping…but what you were doing I wouldn't call helping!" John sent Cameron a glare that almost made her shiver. He had no right to tell her how to do her job. She was one of the best and did just fine with other partners. 

            "What do you mean what I was doing?" Cameron exclaimed. "I was working and getting to know the girl! Do you even know her name?"

            "No," John spat out the word. "And at the moment I don't care. I know what was going on. That Skittery guy has got it for you! You wanna ruin the entire mission?"

            Cameron looked away from John. Did he really expect her to answer that? Of course she didn't want to ruin the mission. She didn't want to get fired. Cameron didn't really care about all the money she got paid, the reason she liked work so much was she could actually fit in there. Well…then again the whole point of the job was to blend in and then leave, but still…she loved work. 

            "Look, I didn't ask him to fall for me…hell I donno if he really did or not. He might just be using me as a front or whatever. I'm sorry…" Cameron's voice trailed off. What else could she say?

            John sighed and ran his hand through his hair. He did that whenever he actually had to think about something (which happened much more than he enjoyed). "No…it's ok. I'll…I'll see what I can find out. Until we know weather or not he's really falling for you why don't you keep a friendly distance from him? I'll start working a bit more and hopefully we can get this all worked out."

            Cameron looked up at John. This was a first. He was actually being nice to her. Ok, so maybe it wasn't a first. He hadn't made fun of her after the jump when she was emptying her stomach in the back of an alley. But, this was his job too. If this mission blew up it was just as much his fault as it was hers. 

            "Ok…and sorry…again," Cameron said. She then slowly made her way out of the kitchen and back upstairs. She collapsed onto her bed. (Blink had taken over for John after he had left.) 

            "Where'd Jumper go?" Race asked. Cameron closed her eyes, she needed sleep.

            "Down stairs…he uhhh…had ta do somethin'."

            The newsies all looked around at each other. They weren't stupid. They saw how fast Jumper had run out of the bunkroom after they had been talking about Skittery and Cricket. Jack finally decided to brave the front and ask Cricket the question that had been floating around in everyone's mind.

            "So uhhh…you'se and Jumper…ummm…" 

            "Yeah?" Cricket asked as she opened her eyes and lifted her head enough so she could see Jack who sat on the floor.

            "You'se two ain't together or nothin' are ya's?" Jack stumbled through the question and waited for a reaction. He didn't want to get the new kids upset. They were great and Skittery really seemed to like them. Which was good since Skittery had been distant for the past…well…for the past while.

            Cameron burst out laughing. She fell back onto the bed and could stop her laughter for a long time. By the time she finally got her giggles under control tears had streamed down her face and her sides hurt.

            "No…no we'se ain't together. We'd kill each other if we'se was like dat." Cameron wiped her eyes and cheeks. That had been the funniest thing she had ever heard in her entire life. Her and John together…oh yeah, there'd be bloodshed before anything romantic ever happened. "But now dat you'se mention it…why's do ya ask?"

            "No reason," Jack said with a shrug. Then Race's face cracked into a huge grin.

            "Read 'em weep boys…four aces." The other newsies groaned as Racetrack collected his winnings. Ahhh yes…he loved poker. A game created by God. 

**Note: Ok not the longest thing in the world but I'm tired and I've got school tomorrow. * scowls * But yeah! Anyway hope you like this chapter…I guess nothing really happened but that's ok! I'll try and add more soon! Please r/r! **


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